Guide to the William E. Chandler Papers, 1820-1917 Administrative Information Title and Dates: William E. Chandler Papers, 1820-1917, bulk 1864-1917 Repository: New Hampshire Historical Society 30 Park Street Concord, NH 03301 603-228-6688 http://www.nhhistory.org/ Collection Numbers: 1926.006, 1976.052, 2013.012 Author of Finding Aid: Sandra L. Wheeler Creator: William E. Chandler, 1835-1917 Language: The materials in this collection are in English. A few letters are is shorthand. Extent: 52 boxes Abstract: The William E. Chandler Papers document the professional life of the prominent New Hampshire politician who served at state and federal levels in both appointed and elected positions. His most prominent posts include: First Assistant Secretary of the United States Treasury (1865-1867), United States Secretary of the Navy (1885-1885), United States Senator from New Hampshire (1887-1901), and President of the Spanish Treaty Claim Commission (1901-1907). His also served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives (1862-1864, 1881). As an attorney, he represented George Glover, the son of Mary Baker Eddy in his suit against his mother (1907-1914). Chandler’s papers contain letters from fellow politicians and colleagues, constituents, and clients. There is small amount of personal material. Access and Use Acquisition Information and Provenance: The William E. Chandler Papers came to the New Hampshire Historical Society over several years, which have been merged into the existing arrangement. In 1926, the estate of William E. Chandler gave his papers to the New Hampshire Historical Society. They were immediately divided into three parts, all with the same accession number (1926.006): those of William Chandler; those of Joseph Gilmore who was Governor of New Hampshire and father of Chandler’s first wife; and those of John Parker Hale who was United States Senator from New Hampshire and father of Chandler’s second wife. Items within the Chandler papers labeled with no accession number are from the 1926 gift. There are a few items with the accession number 1976.052. These were purchased by the New Hampshire Historical Society from an unknown source and have the accession number written on them in pencil. Items with accession number 2013.012 were purchased in 2013 from the daughter of Richard Morcom, who is said to have bought the collection at an estate sale. Most of these have been interfiled with the John Parker Hale papers (collected by his daughter Lucy Hale Chandler); those referring to William E. Chandler (Lucy Hale Chandler’s husband) have been interfiled with the earlier accessions related to William E. Chandler. Each item has a penciled “2013.012” notation. Processing Information: This collection was originally processed by an unknown person in 1926. It was reprocessed to incorporate later additions by Sandra L. Wheeler in 2014. The finding aid was written by Sandra L. Wheeler in May, 2014 and includes information from the original finding aid. This finding aid follows the standards set-forth by Describing Archives: A Content Standard. Access Restrictions: Available for research. Location: The collection is housed at the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, New Hampshire. Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements: This collection is on paper; there are no technical requirements for use. Copyright/Conditions Governing Use: For permission to reproduce or publish materials from this collection, please contact the New Hampshire Historical Society. Researchers are responsible for following all copyright and intellectual property laws. Preferred Citation: William E. Chandler Papers, 1926.006. New Hampshire Historical Society, Concord, NH. Date accessed. Collection Overview Biographical Information William E. Chandler was a New Hampshire politician based in Warner, NH and Concord, NH. He served in the New Hampshire Legislature and the United States Senate. He also served as Assistant Secretary of the United States Treasury, Secretary of the United States Navy, and President of the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission. Upon his retirement from political life, he resumed his career as an attorney and represented the son of Mary Baker Eddy in a lawsuit against Eddy and the Christian Science Church. Chandler was a Republican, working against what he saw as the increasing political influence of railroads and trusts. He supported the temperance movement and the voting rights of African-Americans and opposed the gold standard. He was an observer of the political scene and cultivated informants, both locally and nationally, who kept him apprised of changes in political opinions and voter behavior. He used the press to bring his positions on current affairs to the notice of his constituents and maintained close relationships with several publishers and editors. His Republican Press Association eventually became the Concord Monitor . With his first wife, Ann Caroline Gilmore (?-1871; daughter of New Hampshire Governor John Gilmore), he had three sons, Joseph (1860- ), William (1863- ), and Lloyd (1869-1947). He married Lucy Hale (1842-1915; daughter of John Parker Hale, abolitionist and United States Senator) in 1875; they had one son, John Parker Hale Chandler (1885-1940). Time Line 1835, Dec 28 Born Concord, NH 1846-7 Spring terms, Thetford Academy, Thetford VT 1849-50 Three terms at Pembroke Gymnasium 1852 Studies law ‘George & Webster – George & Foster’ 1854 LLB, Harvard Law School 1854-55 Appointed as a librarian, ‘ruins eyes’ working on Parsons on Contracts 1855, March Sails to New Orleans, returns home via land through LA, AL, GA, VA, Washington DC, Baltimore. His vision remains poor. 1856 Begins practicing law in Concord with F.B. Peabody 1857 Begins practicing law in solo practice 1859 Appointed State Reporter of decisions of New Hampshire Supreme Court 1859, Jun 29 Marries Ann Caroline Gilmore, daughter of Governor of New Hampshire 1860, Apr 23 Son Joseph Gilmore Chandler born in Concord 1861 Practices law in partnership with Asa Fowler 1862-65 Serves in New Hampshire Legislature, Speaker for the last two years 1863, Feb 3 Son William Dwight Chandler is born in Concord 1863-64 Speaker of House, New Hampshire Legislature 1864-65 Special counsel for Navy Department for Navy Yard frauds 1865, March Appointed by President Lincoln to be Solicitor and Judge Advocate General, United States Navy 1865, June Resigns as Solicitor of Navy Dept 1865, June Appointed by President Johnson to Assistant Secretary of the Treasury 1867, Nov Resigns as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury 1868 Practicing Law in Washington, DC 1869, Aug 17 Son Lloyd Horwitz Chandler born in Washington, DC 1871, Mar 19 Twin sons born dead 1871, Mar 20 Death of wife, Ann Caroline Gilmore Chandler 1873 Travels to Europe with older sons 1875 Marries Lucy Hale, daughter of Senator John Parker Hale 1876 Member of State Constitutional Convention 1881 Member New Hampshire House of Representatives 1882, Apr Secretary of Navy confirmation 1885 Resigns as Secretary of Navy 1885 Son John Parker Hale Chandler born 1887 First appointed, then elected United States Senator from New Hampshire 1901 Service as United States Senator ends 1901 Appointed by President McKinley to Spanish Treaty Claims Commission, Is President of the Commission until his resignation in 1907 1907 Returns to Concord to practice law 1906-1914 Represents Mary Baker Eddy’s son, George Glover, in lawsuits against Eddy 1915 Wife Lucy Hale Chandler dies 1917, Nov 30 Dies in Concord. Buried in Blossom Hill Cemetery Collection Scope and Content Note: William E. Chandler’s papers have been divided into two parts: his correspondence and papers as a politician (1864-1907) and his correspondence and court documents regarding his time as an attorney representing George Glover, the son of Mary Baker Eddy, in his suit against his mother (1906-1914). The political papers provide a comprehensive look at the activities and concerns of a busy New Hampshire politician in the last half of the nineteenth century. The collection contains letters from other politicians about strategy or reciprocal agreements, colleagues informing him of the political situation in various parts of the country, local informants reporting political gossip in New Hampshire, and constituents asking for jobs, especially regarding appointments of postmasters. The letter books contain outgoing correspondence. Most of the correspondence files contain only incoming letters with occasional copies of Chandler’s reply or shorthand notations. In the course of his work he corresponded with Presidents (James Garfield, Theodore Roosevelt); Governors, other Senators, and appointed officials (Robert Bass, Charles Busiel, George Fogg, Jacob Gallinger, Nathaniel Ordway, Edward Rollins, Bainbridge Wadleigh); newspaper and magazine publishers and reporters (Willa Cather, Horace Greeley, Whitelaw Reid, Henry Robinson, Ida Tarbell, Gordon Woodbury); intellectuals and businessmen (Charles Frances Adams, Austin Corbin, New Hampshire author Winston Churchill, Charles Dana, William Lloyd Garrison, Edward Everett Hale, Magnus Robinson, Amos Tuck, Edward Tuck, Booker T. Washington); and ordinary citizens Chandler’s political papers also cover press in politics in the nineteenth century, the Dakota Territory, political patronage, and the Tilden-Hayes controversy. Chandler was involved with the Republican Press Association, which eventually became the Concord Monitor. He used the press to shape his public image with frequent articles and letters to the editor.